Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Psalm 11.2 says that the wicked seek to destroy those who are “upright in heart” ( לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב). The LXX renders the Hebrew phrase as: τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ (“the straight ones [=upright] of heart”). The Aramaic Targum renders the phrase in its oft-expanded way: תקיני לתריצי לבא (“the firm stability of the upright ones in heart”). Why is this language used to speak about integrity? Why does this describe the godly?

I want to offer a few observations concerning this phrase.

1. This phrase refers to the godly person being one who is unbending and standing straight up for the Lord and for His Word.
The Hebrew root for “upright” (יָשָׁר) speaks of that which is straight and right. So then, the person who is upright in heart is one who is straight in his life, straight in his course, unbending in his convictions, unswerving in his conduct. Joshua was told not to turn away from the Law of God either to the right or the left (Josh 1.7; cf. Deut 5.32; 2 Kings 22.2). So then, this upright person is one who has a straight-course set before him on walking with God and not veering off the path of godliness.

2. This phrase includes the reality that one’s pattern of life is upright, straight, and consistently Godly.
Because the language speaks of one who is “upright” and unbending, unswerving, unalterable, it thus shows that this is more than a one-time act or decision. To be upright means that the length of one’s life is upright. It’s longer than a decision. It’s more durative than a choice. It consists of a pattern of life that is in perfect harmony with the standard of God’s holiness and righteousness. The Bible says in 2 Kings 22.2 in describing King Josiah of Judah, he did right ( הַיָּשָׁר) in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father David nor did he turn aside to the right or the left. This then speaks of the way Josiah lived, walked, conducted himself. In a word, he lived a godly life. That is contained in the idea of being “upright.”

3. This phrase forces the meaning of uprightness as beginning in the heart rather than focusing on mere externals.Significantly, the entire phrase “upright of heart” ( לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב; Ps 11.2) shows that it is not mere externals or outward conduct alone that is most significant. The uprightness is sourced in the heart. It resides out of the heart. The uprightness of conduct is a result of being upright in one’s heart. One’s moral uprightness without internal uprightness is moralism and despicable in God’s eyes. God tests the “heart” (Ps 11.4-5).

This phrase occurs in the Psalms and those who are “upright in heart” are saved by God who is their shield (Ps 7.10). God continues His covenant-keeping lovingkindness and righteousness to the upright in heart (Ps 36.10). The upright in heart will glory in God because they rejoice in God and take refuge in God (Ps 64.10). The upright in heart follow God’s righteous judgment (Ps 94.15). And the upright in heart are called to rejoice in the Lord and shout for joy (Ps 32.11; 97:11).

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Christians must remember that sanctification is God's priority for their lives. It is His will for them (1 Thess 4.3; cf. Heb 12.14) and the result of Christ's death on their behalf — "who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2.14). All believers are to live for sanctification. They have no other goal in life than to be like Jesus Christ: "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2.6).

Thursday, December 13, 2012

"The sum of the gospel is this: that all those who by true repentance and faith do forsake the flesh, the world, and the devil, and give themselves up to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as their Creator, redeemer, and sanctifier shall find God as a Father, taking them for his reconciled children, and for Christ's sake pardoning their sin, and by his Spirit giving them his grace; and if they persevere in this course will finally glorify them and bestow upon them everlasting happiness; but will condemn the unbelievers impenitent and ungodly to everlasting punishment."

Monday, December 10, 2012

From JI Packer's introduction to John Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ:

There is no doubt that Evangelism today is in a state of perplexity and unsettlement. . . . Without realizing it we have during the past century bartered the gospel (the biblical gospel) for a substitute product which, though it looks similar enough in points of detail, is as a whole a decidedly different thing.

The new gospel conspicuously fails to produce deep reverence, deep repentance, deep humility, a spirit of worship, a concern for the church. Why? We would suggest that the reason lies in its own character in content. It fails to make men God-centered in their thoughts and God-fearing in their hearts because this is not primarily what it is trying to do. One way of stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say that it is too exclusively concerned to be "helpful" to man — to bring peace, comfort, happiness, satisfaction — and too little concerned to glorify God. . . .

The old gospel was always and essentially a proclamation of divine sovereignty in mercy and judgment, a summons to bow down and worship the mighty Lord on whom man depends for all good, both in nature and in grace. Its center of reference was unambiguously God. But in the new gospel the center of reference is man.

Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach men to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and His ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed.

O may we be faithful to the [old] biblical gospel!

This lengthy quote from Packer is included in Bruce Bickel's book Light and Heat: The Puritan View of the Pulpit and The Focus of the Gospel in Puritan Preaching, pp. 90-91.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Whitefield was a singularly bold and direct preacher. he never used that indirect expression "we," which seems so peculiar to English pulpit oratory, and which only leaves a hearer's mind in a state of misty confusion. He met men face to face, like one who had a message from God to them, "I have come here to speak to you about your soul." The result was that many of his hearers used often to think that his sermons were specially meant for themselves. He was not content, as many, with sticking on a meagre-tail-piece of application at the end of a long discourse. On the contrary, a constant vein of application ran through all his sermons. "This is for you, and this is for you." His hearers were never let alone.

May the LORD raise up more Whitefield's in our day to passionately, directly, and faithfully address the hearers with the truth of Holy Scripture.

Monday, November 26, 2012

1. Pray that he would conduct himself wisely in a life of obedience that remains above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2)

2. Pray that he would love and be faithful to his wife (Ephesians 5:25-33)

3. Pray that he would raise his children in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4)

4. Pray that he would love the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30)

5. Pray that he would faithfully shepherd the flock of God (1 Peter 5:1-3)

6. Pray that he would flee temptation (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)

7. Pray that he would be a man of unceasing prayer (Ephesians 6:18)

8. Pray that he would bind himself to the Scriptures and commit himself to expounding the Word of God rather than his own opinions (2 Timothy 4:1-4)

“A commitment to expository preaching takes a firm belief in the power of God’s Word and a humble recognition that the God-appointed means of preaching is better than whatever impressive or efficient model we might devise.”

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

There are some lines that a preacher hopes he never hears. In a sermon on Psalm 7 entitled: "Turn or Burn," Spurgeon noted how the topic of the wrath of God was seldom preached. Then he pondered how despicable it would be if, in eternity, one would approach him and say the following statement.

From Charles Spurgeon:

"Sir, you flattered us; you did not tell us of the
solemnities of eternity; you did not rightly dwell upon the awful wrath
of God; you spoke to us feebly and faintly; you were somewhat afraid of
us; you knew we could not bear to hear of eternal torment, and therefore
you kept it back and never mentioned it!"

May we as preachers be faithful to the Word of God — all of the glories of the Word of God!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thursday, November 8, 2012

WHAT IS TRUE REPENTANCE?Is There a False Repentance That Sends to Hell?
Geoffrey R. Kirkland
Christ Fellowship Bible Church

To use the words of the Heidelberg Catechism, godly grief “is to be genuinely sorry for sin, to hate it more and more, and to run away from it” (#89).

To answer the question of what the repentance that sends to hell is, we need to examine the biblical truth concerning marks that will accompany true repentance. In other words, a professed repentance without these marks indicating change shows that the repentance is not genuine, real, and lasting. Godly sorrow is an earnest desire. It is a passionate pursuit. It is a zealous pursuit.

2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

Here are some marks of what biblical, godly, real repentance looks like in one’s life.

Vindication — The idea of vindication comes from the word meaning to give a defense (ἀπολογίαν) and here it speaks of the penitent sinner who verbally acknowledges, confesses, and recounts what happens. Rather than denying his sin the repentant person acknowledges, affirms, and confesses his sin verbally. It is an earnest and verbal desire to clear oneself of any fault. It is an eagerness to clear oneself of any fault.

Indignation — The word Paul uses here refers to a kind of outlash/vehement assault (ἀγανάκτησιν). It is not an outrage at a person but the outlash is directed toward the sin. There is a violent indignation with that particular sin. The repentant person will abhor, detest, be angry at the sin into which he fell.

Fear — This speaks of a fear (φόβον) lest the sin be repeated again. There must be a little trembling lest the evilness of that particular sin be the cause of stumbling yet again. And negatively, there should be a fear lest the sin should not be entirely removed from the penitent person’s life. There should be great fear of falling into sin again. A mark of repentance is the person’s godly fear that he might fall into that sin yet again. Not only this, the fear includes the notion that if the sin would persist, one would be the recipient of God’s Almighty wrath. There is a right, holy, trembling fear that must be present at the acknowledgement of God’s violent hatred of sin — all sins. All impenitent sinners will face the wrath of God.

Longing — This speaks of a vehement desire, a longing, a passionate desire. Paul uses the word (ἐπιπόθησιν) that can refer to an intense longing, craving of something (the word usually refers to sexual lust/longing). There must be a fervent wish to be made right in God’s eyes. There must be a passionate desire to be made right in the eyes of others. There must be a passionate desire so that the sin does not trap the repentant person again. There must be a passionate pursuit and readiness to do our duty and a willingness to obey the Lord in all things — including doing that which is hard during the course of repentance. Without a fervent longing and desire to extract the sin from one’s life and all its recourses that lead up to the committing of a particular sin, repentance has not occurred.

Zeal — This word for zeal speaks of deep concern (ζῆλον). There is almost a “jealousy” that takes place here. What passionate ardor and concern is there when the beginning touches of that particular sin begins to show its hellish face again? What zeal is there to kill it? What deep concern is there to assure and ensure that the sin is exterminated quickly and violently? Is there a jealousy for the LORD and for Him alone? Is there a jealousy to be wed to Him and to him alone? One cannot be married to both Christ as Lord and to sin as Lord. These masters are mutually exclusive. Is there a zealous, concerned, jealous pursuit to be rid of the sin and turn to the LORD?

Avenging of Wrong — This strong word that Paul uses refers to the idea of vindication, punishment, revenge (ἐκδίκησιν). There must be a ready spirit to see justice done. In other words, there must be a passionate desire rooted in and stemming from the heart to do the right thing in the future and slaughter the sin from one’s life. The severer we are toward ourselves and the harsher we see our sin, the deeper we shall then look at the grace of God and the mercy of the Lord outpoured upon evildoers.

These marks reveal for us, then, that apathy cannot coexist with repentance. No easy-way out thinking demonstrates true repentance. There must be an earnest, consuming, passionate, humble, God-focused, shamed, grace-embracing desire to “perform deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:20). Repentance itself is even a gift from God (2 Tim 2:25; Acts 5:31). Nevertheless, for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ who has been washed, justified, saved, regenerated by God’s Holy Spirit, he can — and must! — demonstrate true marks of repentance over the sin in his life. No sin is to be taken lightly. Sin slaughtered the Savior! Even one complaint in the history of the world would have demanded an eternity of God’s furious wrath because of the vileness of that God-hating sin. Thus, believers should continue to practice the duty of repentance (not to get re-saved) but to put to death the deeds of the flesh in our lives as we grow in Christ.

So, what is that repentance that sends to hell? It is a repentance that does not bear these marks. If there is no change in one’s life, in one’s conduct, in one’s affections, in one’s zeal for holiness. If there is no outward change that manifests itself, if there is no humility and fear before the awesomeness of God’s holiness, if there is no anger and hatred over that sin and all its manifestations (and steps leading up to that sin), then one can be assured that repentance has not taken place.

Guard against false marks of repentance! May we as Spirit-indwelt, Bible-believing, grace-empowered saints practice the duty of repentance so that we may slay sin by the power of God’s Spirit & present all of the members of our body as instruments of righteousness to God. May we be those who genuinely repent, biblically repent, and effectively change by the powerful help and God-given grace of God’s Spirit!

Monday, November 5, 2012

The New Testament calls upon us to take action; it does not tell us that the work of sanctification is going to be done for us. . . . We are in the 'good fight of faith', and we have to do the fighting. But, thank God, we are enabled to do it; for the moment we believe, and are justified by faith, and are born again of the Spirit of God, we have the ability. So the New Testament method of sanctification is to remind us of that; and having reminded us of it, it says, 'Now then, go and do it'.

Friday, November 2, 2012

The simplest question to ask about what underlies anger is, “What do I really want?” If you are honest, with God’s help, you can recognize if you really crave to get even, or to hurt someone, or not to be inconvenienced, or to prove someone wrong, or to score points, or to be recognized and appreciated, or to humiliate, or to win, or to get your way. You are ruled by what the Bible terms “self.”

Thursday, October 25, 2012

You young people, I charge you to consider; God help you to repent and be
converted, who woos and invites you. You middle aged people, O that you would
repent and be converted. You old grey-headed people, Lord make you repent and
be converted, that you may thereby prove that your sins are blotted out. O I
could preach till I preached myself dead; I could be glad to preach myself
dead, if God would convert you! O God bless his work on you, that you may
blossom and bring forth fruits unto God. Amen and Amen.

Now there's a way to capture your audience — all of them! Draw them all in group by group, age group by age group so that they must hear, heed, and respond to the gospel message proclaimed!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The responsibility of Jeremiah, given to him by the LORD, was to arise and speak all that God commanded him to say to sinful Judah (1:17).

In chapter 2, Jeremiah speaks the LORD's words to Judah and indicts them for their wicked apostasy. I want to look at Jeremiah 2:8 and examine just a few ways that Judah had forsaken the LORD.

THE TEXT:Jeremiah 2:8 — "The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And walked after things that did not profit.

1. The Leadership Lost Focus on God.
The priests of the land were eager to lead, eager to teach, and eager to exercise their authority but the priests did not say: "where is the LORD?" One might think that a priest of the LORD might call upon the LORD but in these evil days such was not the case. The leadership, thus, lost focus on God and determined to make decisions, live life, and exercise authority based upon their own whims rather than looking to the LORD. They lost focus on God.2. The Teachers Ignored God & His Word.
Those who handle the Word of God, it could be rightly argued, have one of the highest callings on the planet. To stand before people and declare: "Thus says the LORD" is such a monumental task that one should tremble at such a privilege. But the problem with the leaders in Judah was that they were ignorant of God. They did not really know God. They may have been a teacher of the Lord but they didn't know the Lord of the Law. How sad it is when those who supposedly teach the Word are ignorant of that Word and, hence, are ignorant of the God of that Word. 3. The Leadership Arrogantly Sinned Against God.
The rulers of the land transgressed against the LORD. The word "transgression" inherently implies something of prideful arrogance. To transgress means to go beyond the bounds or to trespass what has been marked out. The leadership of the day transgressed against the Lord. They knew what God commanded and they willfully — hence, pridefully/arrogantly — transgressed God's boundaries. 4. The Teachers Spoke According to False Idols.
The prophets are those who took the word from God and spoke to the people saying: "thus says the LORD." However, those who spoke did not speak according to the word of the Lord but they rather spoke according to the idolatrous practices of their gods. What happened was not a coming to the LORD in seeking Him and His Word and recounting that to the people. No! Rather, they spoke whatever the religious practice of Baal might have been. This is blatant idolatry at the most heinous form because it is replacing the Word of God with the human thoughts (and, really, "idolatrous thoughts"). 5. The Nation Lived for the Earthly — Not the Heavenly.
The nation walked — that is, "lived" — after things that did not profit. What they lived for was empty. It was vain, futile, void, nothingness. And those who lived in the land loved living for the here and now and thus rejected God and pursued idols. They rejected satisfaction in God for the passing pleasures of the world. They forgot that judgment day is coming. They ignored the reality that a powerful God would bring them to His bar one day & hold them accountable for all their actions. God will repay each person according to what he has done. Indeed, walking after things that do not profit is so dangerous because people think they'll find happiness here while forgetting that an eternity of wrath awaits those who love the present world and live enjoying the pleasures of this age.Let us learn & be warned from Jeremiah's message!

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Worshipful Act of Monetary Giving to the Local ChurchBy: Pastor Geoffrey R. KirklandChrist Fellowship Bible Church

Jesus Christ willingly went to the cross to die so that He might ransom men and redeem them to Himself in a saving, eternal, reconciled relationship. If Jesus Christ has given so much for us, should we not be willing to give sacrificially to Him?

In what follows, I hope to provide a number of helpful ways you can worshipfully give:

1. Give Generously!

Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. The initiative was His. The death of Christ sufficiently saves from the penalty of sin. Jesus Christ gave Himself fully, physically, and sacrificially so that you may be pardoned in Him! If Jesus Christ has given so much for you, what a wonderful privilege to give generously back to Him! Those who have money in this world are to be instructed to do good, to be rich in good works and to be generous and ready to share (1 Tim 6:18). Even the character of God is such that he is generous with those whom He saves (Matt 20:15). So the glorious opportunity is ours to give generously to the Lord’s ministry.

2. Give Sacrificially!

On the evening before our Lord was crucified, He commanded His disciples to prepare the Passover dinner. It was here that He reminded them again that He would give His body for His people (Luke 22:19). Indeed, He would shed His blood for His people (Luke 22:20). And according to Hebrews 9:26, Jesus put away sin once and for all through the sacrifice of Himself. By means of the sacrifice of Christ, His people are free and no longer slaves of sin because Christ was offered once to completely and fully bear the sins of many. If Jesus Christ gave so much — sacrificially — of Himself to redeem His people, how much more of a glorious privilege do we have to give sacrificially back to Him. This is why the Apostle Paul writes that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully (2 Cor 9:6).

3. Give Joyfully!

It was for the joy that was set before Christ that He endured the cross, scorned its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Jesus joyfully gave Himself to redeem sinful man. Jesus spoke to His disciples and told them that He longed for His joy to be in them (John 15:11). So much did Jesus desire their fullness of joy that He prayed to His Father that His followers may have the fullness of His joy in themselves (John 17:13). Christ willingly sacrificed. He joyfully endured. He happily lived. He gave of Himself joyfully so that His followers would have His joy in them till their joy is complete in heaven. So then, we as believers have the utmost opportunity to give of our ourselves and all that we have — including our financial resources — to the Lord. In the context of financial giving, Paul writes that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7).

4. Give Expectantly!

The believers in NT churches gave financially and expected the Lord to use it for His glory. The financial gifts were given to messengers who took the money from one church/city to another and they expected the money to bear fruit, increase the Lord’s harvest, and glorify Him. In Philippians 4:17 Paul says to the Church in Philippi after they gave a generous gift to care for spiritual needs that he seeks not only the gift itself but the profit which increases to their account. They gave sacrificially and expectantly that God would provide. An account in Acts 4 reminds us of how sacrificial the Church was in sharing and giving to the Lord’s work and to help others in need when Luke writes: For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need (Acts 4:34-35). So we have the wonderful blessing of affirming 2 Cor 9:10: Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

5. Give Prayerfully!

When a Christian has the privilege of partnering with the Lord in the advancement of His gospel in both the local & global contexts, he should give prayerfully. There should be a prayerfulness in the following regards: (1) a thankfulness that God has richly and graciously provided the financial means to give generously, (2) a petition that God would use these funds for His glory and for the furthering of the Lord’s work, (3) a consecration that God would protect our hearts as we give so that we would shun all greediness and also ask the Lord for more opportunities to give in the future, and (4) a doxology of praise so that may be preeminently exalted through this monetary gift. Furthermore, we should praise, worship, honor, and glorify God as we give and this can express itself in prayerful praise and jubilant worship!

6. Give Gospel-Centeredly!

And we as believers are called to abound in this gracious work also (2 Cor 8:7). A wonderful help that can guide in making decisions on who or where to give to can center around the incorporation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the gift. Giving to an organization about ‘bettering’ humanity is one thing but having the opportunity to support a ministry that is concerned about helping others materially and a primary goal of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ so that they may repent, believe, and grow in their discipleship is quite another. Let us be devoted to giving gospel-centeredly. May God use our gifts to cause the gospel to flourish and grow rapidly. May we give richly and generously from the overflow of our own hearts that have received the saving grace of Christ who gave up everything for us so that we might gain everything in Him.

7. Give Thankfully!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is marvelous. Though He was rich, He became poor for our sake so that we through His poverty might become rich (2 Cor 8:9). What a marvelous sacrifice that eternally purchased sinful rebels and transferred them into the Kingdom of Light! This results in all the spiritual blessings that God has being channeled on to the believer through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3-5). And so, the Christian who has received the saving mercies of Jesus Christ and who is eternally thankful to God for saving sinners should evidence his thankfulness to the Lord in giving of what he has up to the Lord. Monetary giving in the local church is one way to proves the genuineness of your love for Christ and for others (2 Cor 8:8).

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

CFBC exists: to glorify God by preaching the Word, evangelizing the lost, discipling the saved, and obeying Jesus Christ—all by the power of the Spirit.

Breakdown of mission statement & preaching points:

1. Always Glorify God — A High View of God & His Glory2. Preach the Word — A High View of Biblical, Expository Preaching3. Evangelize the Lost — A Biblical View of Evangelism/Conversion4. Disciple the Saved — A Biblical View of Discipleship/Growth5. Obey Jesus Christ — A Biblical View of Aggressive Sanctification6. Depend on the Spirit — A Towering View of the Spirit’s Enabling Power

CFBC’s mission must = CFBC’s strategy

In other words, CFBC’s strategy is the mission. The way we can glorify God is by preaching the Word, evangelizing the lost, discipling the saved, and walking in worshipful obedience to His commands. This all happens in full dependence and with supernatural power sovereignly bestowed by God the Holy Spirit.

That’s our strategy. We have no special methods. We follow no church-growth model. We simply preach Christ. We proclaim Him! We want to magnify the greatness of God (=high view of God) and denounce the sinfulness of man (=low view of man) and proclaim the sufficient gospel that God provides and accomplishes in the hearts of His people through saving faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.

CFBC’s vision: to be a disciple-making church.

What do we hope to do? What is our vision for the future? Quite simply, we make it our resolution to be a disciple-making Church. We want to proclaim that every single Christian is mandated by God to be part of the Great Commission. Thus, every Christian is, thus, a missionary, an evangelist, a disciplee, and a disciple-maker. At CFBC, we desire to foster this attitude so that every single person who commits himself to CFBC will be regularly, actively, and intentionally involved in the lives of other believers at CFBC.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

This post will offer some ideas as to how you as the families of CFBC can continue to reinforce biblical truths into the minds and the hearts of your young people at home.

CFBC is committed to teaching the children of CFBC during the Family Bible Hour (4:00PM) but CFBC affirms that the primary teachers are the parents (both the father and the mother) and the primary teaching environment is the home (throughout the week).

A great way to teach and instruct your children in solid theology with practical application is to utilize the catechism — a question & answer teaching format (that is very easy to memorize!).

Here are some ideas as to how you could implement this...1. Download & print the CFBC Catechism HERE.

2. Take a few questions & go through them as a family (and with your children) regularly at home throughout the week (dinner, before bed, at the breakfast table, etc.)

3. Ask the family members (both adults & children) if there are questions & discuss those questions together & search the Scriptures (with the Scripture references provided in the catechism) for the answers.

4. THEN, at CFBC, the children will hear teaching & expositions through the CFBC catechism during the 4:00PM Family Bible Hour.

5. On the way home from Church (or the following day), parents can ask the children what they learned during the Catechism class at CFBC. In other words: what was the exposition about? What application points were brought out? How can the children apply those catechism points to his/her life specifically?

6. Pray daily for God to take His Truth and plant it in the hearts and minds of the young people. Pray that God would regenerate our young people through the power of His Word as it is being taught at home and in the local Church. Pray! Pray! Pray!

We pray that this would be such a beneficial time for our families to be the primary instructors of the children. Then, as CFBC comes alongside of you, it will serve to reinforce what you're already doing throughout the week.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Now the heart of depraved man is obstinately averse to such a course of
feelings and conduct. Instead of being supremely attached to God and the
good of His Kingdom, men are by nature lovers of their own selves. And here
lies the controversy between man and his Maker. God requires men to regard
His glory as the great end of their existence, but they disregard His
requisitions and prefer their own will and ends to His.

This is the
disposition of every natural heart; hence the mortification of this spirit,
and the supreme devotion of the heart and life to the service and glory of
God, is evidence of a radical change of moral character. It was the
character of Jesus Christ that ‘He went about doing good.”

God is served and
glorified by a life which is actively engaged in seeking the good of others.
Where the heart is seriously and intensely interested in the service of God,
it cannot be satisfied without accomplishing something for the cause of God
in the earth. Our Lord alludes to this evidence of discipleship when He
says, “Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit, so shall you
be my disciples” (John 15:8).

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

"What is the biblical wisdom that the psalmists speak of so frequently? First, wisdom calls for a response. The invitation is open to all (34:11-12; cf. Prov 1:8-9; 2:1-3:10). Regardless of age, social standing, or gender, whether Jew or Gentile, God expects the response of love and submission to him (49:1-3). Those who devote themselves to a loving response may have to undergo fatherly discipline: "it was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" (119:71). Out of the brokenness of heart, the godly learn wisdom; and out of gratitude they seek wisdom. The way of wisdom demands total commitment: "Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart" (119:2; cf v. 3, 10). Since God is greater than any treasure, the love for God demands the ultimate sacrifice — total loyalty and discipleship: "I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches" (119:14; cf. vv.20, 127)."

I am persuaded that the use of a good Catechism in all our
families will be a great safeguard against the increasing errors of the
times, and therefore I have compiled this little manual from the
Westminster Assembly's and Baptist Catechisms, for the use of my own
church and congregation. Those who use it in their families or classes
must labour to explain the sense; but the words should be carefully
learned by heart, for they will be understood better as years pass.

And we at CFBC want to come alongside of the families — where the primary teaching and instructing of children must take place as they live home life together day after day — and allow the men of CFBC to pour biblical, solid, theological, and practical truths into the hearts of our young people.

WHEN: The catechism class will start this Sunday at 4:00PM (during the Family Bible Hour)

WHERE: We will have the children in a classroom where they can sit & listen to the teaching of God's Word.

HOW LONG: Till we finish the catechism (then we can start over again!)

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

In the year 1854 a sailing vessel was becalmed in the vicinity of New Guinea. Seeing
the distressed look on the captain's face as he peered intently into the sea, a young
Englishman inquired as to the cause of his anxiety. This was the reply: "A four-knot
current is carrying us swiftly toward some sunken reefs over there. Our fate seems to
be sealed." On the shores of the island, cannibals were rushing about and lighting
fires in great glee. Presently the captain spoke again: "We have done everything that
can be done." "No," responded the young man, "there is one thing we haven't done. Four
of us on board are Christians. Let each of us retire to his cabin and in agreed prayer
ask the Lord to give us a breeze immediately." This was agreed upon and done.

After a
few minutes of earnest intercession, the young man came up on deck confident that the
petition had been granted. Finding the first officer, a godless man, in charge, he
requested him to let down the corners of the mainsail. "What would be the good of
that?" he asked. The young man told him that he and three others had been asking God
to send a wind, that it was coming immediately and that there was not a minute to lose,
since they were so near the reefs. With a look of contempt, the officer replied with
an oath: "Nonsense! You can't pray up a wind." Noticing a few moments later that the
topmost sail was beginning to tremble, he said: "That is only a cat's-paw — a mere puff
of wind." "Never mind what you think," cried the young man. "Let down the mainsail
quickly."

This he was not slow to do. Hearing the heavy tread of the men on deck, the
captain came up from his cabin and saw that the breeze had indeed come. In a few minutes
they were sailing away from the dangerous reefs, much to the disappointment of the
native cannibals on the beach.

Writing of this and similar experiences, the young man said: "Thus God
encouraged me, ere landing on China's shores, to bring every variety of need to Him
in prayer, and to expect that He would honor the name of the Lord
Jesus and give the help which each emergency required."

So we have been introduced to a remarkable man, J. Hudson Taylor, and to the
text, John 14:13, which was woven into the fabric of his life and into the texture of
his stupendous achievements: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I
do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Thursday, September 27, 2012

We will look at a number of elements that will characterize this important area of study.

This is a very neglected doctrine in theological studies and the future hope that we as believers have of "reigning with Christ" on earth during the Kingdom should encourage us and energize us with hope and expectation!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Richard Baxter provides six helpful points on the husband and wife's roles to each other.

Duties of a husband & wife to each other:1. Entirely to love each other … and avoid all things that tend to quench their love.

2. To dwell together, and enjoy each other, and faithfully join as helpers in the education of their children, the government of the family, and the management of their worldly business.

3. Especially to be helpers of each other’s salvation: to sir up each other to faith, love, and obedience, and good works: to warn and help each other against sin, and all temptations; to join in God’s worship in the family, and in private: to prepare each other for the approach of death, and comfort each other in the hopes of life eternal.

4. To avoid all dissensions, and to bear with those infirmities in each other which you cannot cure: to assuage, and not provoke, unruly passions; and, in lawful things, to please each other.

5. To keep conjugal chastity and fidelity, and to avoid all unseemly and immodest carriage (conduct) with another, which may stir up jealousy; and yet to avoid all jealousy which is unjust.

6. To help one another to bear their burdens (and not by impatience to make them greater). In poverty, crosses, sickness, dangers, to comfort and support each other. And to be delightful companions in holy love, and heavenly hopes and duties, when all other outward comforts fail.

The Use of the OT in the OT — “The LORD is my Strength & My Song”By: Geoffrey R. KirklandChrist Fellowship Bible Church

The Biblical Texts Themselves:Exodus 15:2 (MT & Eng)

עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַאֲרֹמְמֶֽנְהוּ׃(“Yahweh is my strength & song. And he has become my salvation. He is my God and I will praise Him; the God of my Fathers & I will exalt Him.”)

Isaiah 12:2 (MT & Eng)

הִנֵּ֙ה אֵ֧ל יְשׁוּעָתִ֛י אֶבְטַ֖ח וְלֹ֣א אֶפְחָ֑ד כִּֽי־עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֣הּ יְהוָ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃(“Behold God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid for Yahweh, the LORD, is my strength and song. And he has become my salvation.”)

Psalm 118:14 (MT & Eng)

עָזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֗֜י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ (“Yahweh is my strength and song. And He has become my salvation.”)

Examination of Specific Texts:The earliest occurrence of the phrase “my strength and song and He has become my salvation” ( עָזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֗֜י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה) occurs in Ex 15:2. It is interesting how the Old Testament (OT) uses the OT. The context of the first occurrence in Exodus 15 celebrates the victory that Yahweh accomplished for Israel in passing them through the midst of the sea & destroying Pharaoh and his entire army. God brought His people through the sea as they walked on dry land. Indeed, the people then chant that Yah (shortened form for Yahweh) is the strength and song. He is the one who has given the ability (=strength) and he is the one who is worthy of praise and worship (=song). It is only through God and through His mighty strength that Israel was spared from the Egyptians at the shore of the Red Sea.

No wonder then that OT writers would take such a God-centered phrase and incorporate it elsewhere in their writings.

For instance, in the surrounding context of Isaiah 12, the prophet speaks of the coming deliverer. He speaks of a child who will be born, a son will be given, the government will rest on his shoulders. And his name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (9:6). So amazing will this man be that there will be no end to the increase of his government or of peace. He will sit on the throne of David & establish and uphold justice and righteousness forever (9:7). But indeed, Assyria, the enemy of Israel’s and thus God’s enemy will be judged (ch. 10) and then there will arise a “shoot” from the stem of Jesse (11:1). The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him and he will delight in the fear of the Lord (11:2). He will judge the poor in righteousness (11:3) and the wolf will dwell with the lamb (11:6). At this time the entire earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord (11:9). Then on that day, the people of God will say “I will give thanks to You, O LORD, for although you were angry your anger has been turned away and you comfort me” (12:1). In this song of the redeemed, the worshippers of Yahweh will then sing: “Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation (12:2). The context of this will happen when the inhabitants of Zion dwell with God, the Holy One of Israel, in their midst (12:6). What a day of gladness, rejoicing, and deliverance that will be! One can see, then, how Isaiah could incorporate not only the language of Ex 15:2 but also the context of the larger discourse to enhance the meaning of the text in Isaiah 12:2.

The other occurrence of this language can be found in Psalm 118. As one of the “Egyptian Hallel Psalms” (Pss 113-118), this psalm acclaims the goodness of the Lord and the deliverance that the Lord provides for His people. Jewish tradition holds that Psalm 118 was sung during the Passover festivities. The psalm commands God’s people to “give thanks to the Lord for He is good” (118:1). All Israel is to say the covenant-keeping (steadfast) love of Yahweh is everlasting (118:2-4). It is the Lord who is for His people and so it is far better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man (118:7-9). Even if all the nations were to surround God’s people, in the name of the Lord, they will be defeated (118:10-12). The Lord is the help for His people (118:13). Because of this, the psalmist can shout: “the LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation” (118:14).

One cannot overlook the larger significance and context of Psalm 118. The Jews all understood Psalm 118 to be significantly Messianic. The Messiah is the One who will come in the name of the Lord (118:26). He is the “stone which the builders rejected and has become the chief cornerstone” (118:22). And in the day of the Lord’s saving, all can chant: “this is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (118:24). This is when the people of God can chant in Hebrew: “Hosannah!” (Do save, we beseech You; 118:25). What a great God who is worthy of blessing, exaltation and thanks (118:26-29). How appropriate for the psalmist to remember that it is the LORD who is the strength & song. Indeed, He — and he alone — has become salvation for His people (in the Messiah).

This phrase in Hebrew remembering the praise and worship due to Yahweh because of the salvation/deliverance that He has accomplished ( עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה) occurs first in Yahweh’s deliverance in the Exodus narrative. It then speaks of Messiah’s first coming in Psalm 118. It also occurs in Isaiah 12 speaking of Messiah’s kingdom on earth when His people will remember the deliverance God has provided them.

And finally, this phrase in this specific form occurs only three times in the Hebrew Bible (Ex 15:2; Isa 12:2; and Ps 118:14). One should not overlook that these three references encompass the three main divisions of the Hebrew Bible — the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. In the Torah, God delivers His people at the Red Sea from the Egyptians (Ex 15:2). In the Prophets, God is the strength and song of His people when he delivers them in the coming of the Messiah (Ps 118:14). And, lastly, in the Writings, Isaiah speaks of God as Israel’s strength and song when He has finally delivered them and ushered His people into the Messianic Kingdom (Isa 12:2).

What a glorious phrase with tremendous theological significance that occurs in the OT. And one should see how the OT writers used this phrase in different contexts while still respecting the primary OT context (Ex 15:2) that further enhances and substantiates the saving power of God in later OT contexts.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Here is how John Piper connects the dots (in commenting on how Jonathan Edwards connected joy & suffering together):

Yes, becoming a Christian adds more trouble to
life and brings persecutions, reproaches, suffering, and even
death. Yes, there are overwhelming sorrows. But the pursuit of
infinite pleasure in God, and the confidence that Christ has
purchased it for us, does not contradict these sufferings, but
carries them.

By this joy and this hope we are able to suffer on
the Calvary road of ministry and missions and love. "For the joy
that was set before him" Jesus endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). He
fixed his gaze on the completion of his joy. That gaze sustained
the greatest act of love that ever was.

The same gaze-the
completion of our joy in God-will sustain us as well. The pursuit
of that joy doesn't contradict suffering, it carries it. The
completion of Christ's great, global mission will demand suffering.
Therefore, if you love the nations, pursue this God-entranced
vision of all things.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Drama in the Home

Everybody loves Bill. The consensus is that his perceived spiritual
maturity and humble servant’s heart have been an encouragement to many.
When he isn’t running his moderately successful engineering firm, he
volunteers for his local church. The pastors love him and usually
include him in their quarterly planning retreats.

There is one problem however. Bill’s wife, Mary, cannot stand him. No
one knows this, but Bill. She has been living with a low-grade
animosity toward him for nearly 20 years. The only reason she has not
left is because of the stigma of divorce and what it would do to their
kids.

With no public chink in his spiritual armor, Mary silently suffers
through it all. She knows something is wrong, but cannot put her finger
on it. Coupled with this unmitigated anger toward Bill, is her fear that
whatever he is into will devastate her should the truth come out.

The Nightmare is Revealed

Late one afternoon Mary was emptying the home office trashcan and
noticed a receipt from a strip club. It was unmistakable. She confronted
Bill and after a week of arguments, denials and threats, Bill finally
came clean. He is a porn addict.

Mary was devastated.

Bill did repent of his sin and they sought counseling. One year
later, Mary is still unwilling to forgive Bill. She is angry, critical,
bitter, self-justifying and self-righteous.

The Weapon for the Wounded

Mary has been hurting for two decades. She also has been stewing in
anger during this time. She knew she was right and everyone else was
wrong. She saw Bill for what he was, a hypocritical fool. Additionally, Bill did not willingly confess his sin. He was caught. She believes that if she had not found the strip club receipt, he probably would never have confessed his sin.

Mary says she has forgiven him, but there is nothing in her attitude
or actions that would support her claim. During counseling, Mary’s
counselor confronted her for her unwillingness to forgive Bill. From
Mary’s perspective she has been living alone her entire marriage and God
never intervened. Mary believes if she forgives Bill of his sin, then
it would be like he never sinned; he would get off free and clear and
the door of her nightmare would be closed, as though it never happened
as well. She is bitter and not ready to forget all her hurt.

The Power of UN-forgiveness

Bill has repented of his sin, though he did not initially confess it.
He has admitted to everything. But Mary is not ready to let him off the
hook by freely forgiving him.

To forgive someone of their sin is to say:

“I will be obedient to God and release you from your sin regardless
of what you have done to me. What I have done to the Savior is far worse
than what you have done to me. I will not hold this over your head
anymore, but will make myself vulnerable to the possibility of you
hurting me again. In essence, I trust God’s method in this matter. I
forgive you.”

Mary’s unwillingness to forgive Bill is her man-centered way of
protecting herself from ever being hurt again. She believes as long as
she can hold Bill’s sin over his head she will not be vulnerable. Since
God did not come through for 20 years, she is more comfortable
maintaining control of the situation. To forgive Bill is to say, “It’s
over; let’s move on.” Her sinful method accomplishes three goals:
1. She is punishing Bill for all the years he punished her.
2. She is protecting herself from ever being hurt again.
3. She is perverting the Gospel.

The Power of the Gospel

Mary is playing god. She is holding Bill’s sin over him while making a
mockery of the Cross. The Father’s punishment of the Son on the Cross
is not enough for Mary. She is a legalist who believes in the Cross, but
also believes that Bill needs to be punished as well. Grace seems too
easy.

What Mary does not understand is that grace was not easy. It cost the
Son of God his life. The infinite Father PUNISHED the infinite Son for
the infinite crime. The infinite Savior PAID the infinite price for the
infinite crime.

For Mary, the death of Christ is not enough for what Bill did.
Because of Mary’s high view of herself, she will not accept the death of
Christ as payment to cover what has been done to her. In her world,
this sin against her is greater than her sin against the Savior. She is
treating her husband in a way that God did not treat her. The Father
forgave Mary of her sin against his Son, but Mary will not forgive Bill
of his sin against her.

Mary needs to repent of her self-righteousness by humbling herself at
the foot of the Cross and accept the death of the Son of God as payment
in full for what Bill did. The Father put the Son on the Cross. Mary
needs to take her husband off the Cross. His sin has already been paid
on the Cross.

Puritan Resources for Biblical Counseling by Tim Keller
This is a very lengthy article where Keller shows how biblical counseling — that is, addressing any and every issue with the sufficient and comprehensive Word of God — is nothing new but the Puritans practiced this type of "healing of the soul." Very helpful resource here!

BOOKS:

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

Introduction to Biblical Counseling, by John MacArthur, Wayne Mack, The Master’s Seminary Faculty.